Educational Videos to Reduce Parental Rejection of Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Health Communication
• Patient Education

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic saw reduced healthcare utilization.
• Parental rejection of pediatric cardiac catheterization for congenital heart disease (CHD) is a concern.
• Understanding factors influencing parental decisions for pediatric cardiac procedures is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if pre-admission educational DVDs reduce parental rejection of pediatric cardiac catheterization for CHD.
• To assess the impact of educational DVDs on parental uncertainty regarding cardiac procedures.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 70 children with CHD undergoing cardiac catheterization.
• Parents were allocated to receive pre-admission educational DVDs (DVD group) or no DVDs (non-DVD group).
• Parental rejection rates and Parent Perceptions of Uncertainty Scale scores were compared between groups.

Main Results:

• Cardiac catheterization was rejected by 20.0% of parents in the DVD group versus 37.1% in the non-DVD group (p=0.025).
• Parent Perceptions of Uncertainty Scale scores were significantly lower in the DVD group (128.3 ± 8.9) than the non-DVD group (134.1 ± 7.3; p<0.001).
• The intervention showed greater effects in parents with lower education, rural residence, and those with younger or female children.

Conclusions:

• Pre-admission educational DVDs can decrease parental rejection rates for pediatric cardiac catheterization in CHD.
• Reducing parental uncertainty through educational interventions enhances willingness for necessary cardiac procedures.
• Targeted educational strategies may be beneficial for specific parental demographics.